News for June 19, 1999

It goes on ...

Vini Caldirola now out of Tour

The power freaks from the Société du Tour de France have now reacted to
the expulsion of Urkainian Sergueï Honchar from the Tour de Suisse after
failing a blood test by banning his team - Vini Caldirola from the upcoming
Tour. They have been replaced by another Italian team Cantina Tollo-Alexia
Alluminio, who were the first emergency team. There are three wild card
invitations - US Postal, Big Mat-Auber 93 and Lampre-Daikin.

A press release from the Société du Tour de France on Friday morning said:
"The Tour rules stipulate that the organisers can prevent a team from
participant for a number of reasons. The Vini Caldirola team has been
refused entry to the race. The leader of the team Ukrainian Sergueï Honchar
is unable to ride for 15 days after being expelled from the Tour de Suisse."

The Vini Caldirola team was expelled because of their drug association. Apart
from Honchar, the other leader Italian Francesco Casagrande was suspended for
9 months after testing positive while at Cofidis for steroid use. The point
that has to be raised though is that Honchar has not tested positive to anything.
The UCI have not declared him a drug taker. He failed a health test. The high
reading may indicate EPO abuse. But then again it may not. Until the authorities
are going to bite the bullet and accuse these riders of EPO use then the power
freaks at the Tour de France office should treat all teams and riders the same.
Who are they kidding in all of this. It is clear that the whole sport is
tainted and has been for years. Nothing much is different except the cops are
now involved and also the public are discovering that their heroes are mortal
after all. So what! It is so easy to pick of a Dutch team and a Spanish
doctor and then claim you are doing something about the problem. Meanwhile
car and soft drink companies continue to line the pockets of the organisation.
If they really wanted to do something about this they would not hold the
Tour this year and really clean the sport up.

Several other Vini Caldirola riders have been linked with drugs. Swiss rider
Mauro Gianetti, who was second in the worlds in 1996 and winner of LBL
was mysteriously hospitalised in Lausanne last year and left La Française des
Jeux under suspicion of doping. Filippo, his little brother was suspected of
doping after the Giro. And finally, Australian Mathew White was suspended for
2 months for Ventoline use and Italian Valentino Fois left Mapei in 1998
under odd circumstances.

The team leader at Cantina Tollo-Alexia Alluminio, the new team coming in, is
Dane Bo Hamburger, who was the silver medallist at the 1997 worlds was with Casino
last year. That team was strongly suspected of doping last year when it
dominated.

Dr Mabuse analysis

It was announced in Paris in the early afternoon of Friday that the analysis
of 10 syringes found in the apartment of Bernard Sainz, aka Dr Mabuse, who is
one of two major players in the French doping scandal, has revealed traced of
steroids and corticoids.

The tests were done on material taken from the office occupied by Sainz on
May 7. His alleged accomplish, sport's lawyer Bertrand Lavelot was also taken
into custody on that day. Investigating judge in Paris, Michèle Colin ordered
the analysis. Most of the materials in the bottles contained mixtures of caffeine, alcohol
and vegetable extracts. They thus had the appearance of homeopathic remedies
which is what Sainz had claimed. The advocat for Sainz, Bernard Gombert said
that the syringes were intended for horses (Sainz is a horse trainer)

Gombert said the syringes were used: "Exclusively for the treatment of
tired and sick horses in Normandy."

TVM may seek court actions

The TVM riders are considering a civil action against the decision
to refuse them to start in the Tour de France. Their spokesperson
Jeroen Blijlevens explained their plans to the press: "'We - the riders - have
four points. The right to work, the right to defend our position,
the arbitrariness of the selection and the monopoly position of the
Tour organisers. We will be doing all we can to start in the Tour."

Team bosses plan campaign

This weekend the team managers of the big cycling teams will meet in
Switzerland and plan a campaign against Jean-Marie Leblanc. They are angry
about the TVM-case. The initiators of the protest are Manolo Saiz (ONCE),
Patrick Lefevere (Mapei), Alain Bondue (Cofidis) and managers like Theo
de Rooy (Rabobank). They want to take a united position. Lefevere said:
"It will become clear whether we are prepared to take some drastic actions or
choose to negotiate with Leblanc."

Cees Priem commented on the meeting: "After Wednesday every team realises
that they could be next. It is also clear that when you are under suspicion
you get a heavier punishment then when you are found to be guilty."

Lefevere continued: "It seems that they are not listening to us. We were clear
in our statement to Leblanc. Now we'll show him that he can't walk over us.
Without the riders there is no circus. What is the position of the UCI at
the moment? It seems the Tour de France is above the UCI. And Leblanc takes the
law into his own hands."

Theo de Rooy: "The scandals at the Tour cannot happen again. We all want to start
on July 3. Our sponsors want that too. But at this moment it's important to get
some clarity about the future."

Lefevere: "Okay, it's important for our sponsors for us to start in the Tour. But
this is the moment to give a signal to the organisor that he has to listen to
our point of view. Therefore it's important to get a combined position. A
possibility is to reject the Fiat cars and the Coca Cola bidons."

Van Petegem sought by Telekom

Rumours at the Tour of Switzerland have it that Giovanni Lombardi will leave
Telekom (not much of a rumour - it was announced ages ago). However, what
is new is that Lefevere has spoken to Peter van Petegem (TVM) because Telekom
is now looking for a good finisher in the classics. But Van Petegem has
up until now refused their offer.

Riis out of Tour?

Bjarne Riis' Tour prospects are now in doubt. Before the start of Stage 4
in Switzerland, he was on the way from his hotel to the starting line. He came
to a verge and fell over and damaged his wrist. It is unsure if it is broken.
He went to a hospital in Bellinzona with his team doctor Lothar Heinrich.
Telekom has now 4 injured riders: Ullrich, Heppner, Aldag and Riis.